Of marriage and chocolate pudding
by Julielein
Summary: Delphine and Kira have a talk about why people marry. Later that night Delphine undrestands that the young girl had a good reason for asking. Cophine. Pure fluff! Reworked and Betaed for the CophineFluffathon.


**Of marriage and chocolate pudding**

"Delphine?"

Disturbed by the sound of the small, thin voice the blonde woman took her attention of off her book and looked at the little girl in the doorway, who was staring at her now.

"Oui Kira, how can I help you?" Delphine asked, smiling expectant at the small girl who walked up to her now, her little hands clasped behind her back.

It was amazing how much the little girl resembled Sarah. Every day they had the pleasure of watching her grow up, Kira became more and more like her mother.

Sarah—not Alison, not Rachel, Cosima or any other clone. This child was undoubtedly Sarah's and no one could convince Delphine otherwise. There was something surrounding the little girl, a vibe that she also felt with Sarah, as if Kira and her mother were connected some way. Like nature wanted to make sure that they never could be mistaken; that there was truly only one mother and that her mothers heritage couldn't be used to fool her child.

The others always said that she imagined things but they had a different view on the girl and on themselves than Delphine. Nature protects its children.

Delphine mustered her shortly before she closed her book but not until she marked the page and put it on the table in front of her, all under the patient glance of the child. Like always when they talked, Delphine helped Kira to climb onto her lap so that they could look into each other's eyes. The girl studied her curiously for a few seconds as if she was searching for something before she finally began to speak.

"Why do people marry?" she asked and Delphine needed a moment to think about the right answer. If she knew one thing about Kira, than that she was intelligent for her age and would demand an answer to fully satisfy her curiosity. Otherwise, Delphine would find herself bombarded with questions until the girl got all the answers she needed.

"Well Kira, most people marry because they really love each other. They can't think of living the rest of their life without the other person in it." Delphine explained honestly, trying to be as simple as she could.

The nature of the question itself was strange for the girl but not so much that she came to the immunologist with it. Over time the two of them developed a bond that probably came close to a friendship. It made sense that the small girl focused on her so much. Delphine was the only person in their close environment who didn't look like her mother or grew up with her. She was an outsider in their little world, just like Kira. They formed an alliance. Kira trusted her for reasons Delphine wasn't completely sure, but grateful for.

Whenever Sarah asked Cosima and Delphine to babysit the girl, such conversations happened often. Cosima assumed it was because Delphine had a motherly aura surrounding her. She always took the opportunity to treat her like a little princess. Cosima teased Delphine that she tried to fullfil her own unsolved childdreams with Kira but the girl enjoyed it. That Delphine never denied her accusion wasn't lost to her either. So she let it drop with a smile. If anything, Cosima seemed a little jealous at Kiras affection towards Delphine which earned her some teasings herself.

"_It's the way I talk, she likes that." The blond explained one day. "It's different than what she's used to. She's only interested in the change. I'm like the new toy." Was Delphine's assumption and Cosima immediately had this devilish grin Delphine loved so much._

"_Seems like great taste is something inherited then. Question solved." Came Cosima's grinning reply before she kissed her._

"So you marry someone because you love them?" the girl asked for clarification, still looking right into her eyes.

"Oui. That should be the main and pretty much only purpose to marry someone."

Kira nodded in understanding but there was more to come, Delphine could see it in her eyes.

"I love mommy too, does that mean I should I marry her then?"

The question was so pure and innocent that Delphine had to hold back a laugh and just smiled at her.

"No, ma petit papillon. Marriage is between two people who aren't related to each other. Of course you love your mother but there are many different kinds of love." She tried to clarify.

"What do you mean with different kinds of love? If there's only one word for love, doesn't it always mean the same?" Kira asked and turned her head a little to the side.

"Well, that's true. But..." This was going to be harder than she originally thought. How could she explain something as complex as love, to a child? Was there really just one word for love in the English language?

French was different. In French you have different words for different levels of love. The immunologist still remembers her wonderment when she started to learn English that it wasn't the case there too. If you have just one word for something so complex and meaningfull, existing on so many different levels, was it even possible to declare the amount of feelings with just one word? Wasn't it highly possible for a word to lose its power because it was used to often for a lack of alternatives? Delphine needed a new strategy. Again she tightens her grip around Kiras to prevent her from falling before she continued.

"You like lasagna, yes?"

Kira nodded which made her small curls bob up and down. Hopefully those adorable curls never grew out someday. Those lose ends of hair moving with every gesture reminded her a lot of Cosima and made them both just cuter.

"And you also like ice-cream." Another nod.

"And pudding."

"Chocolate pudding is my favorite!" came the excited reply.

"Ah mine too. You have a great taste Kira." Delphine said softly, stroking the hair out of the child's face.

"You like all those different things which are some of your favorite foods. And you think they all taste fantastic." Delphine summarized and Kiras curls bobbed faster up and down. "But could you say which one you like the most?"

"Chocolate pudding!" Came the fast reply, without any hesitation.

"Okay, but would you say you like ice-cream any less because of chocolate pudding?" The girl shocked her head furiously, startled at Delphines impute.

"Ah you see, you like all of those foods but you still have a favorite you can't explain. And with love it's the same. It is what it is and it's illogical and instinctive and you can't say why but you know." Automatically her gaze went to the room behind Kira, where Delphine knew Cosima was right now, preparing dinner for them. She knew it was pathetic and illogical of her but her mind always demanded at least a small glimpse of Cosima whenever she thought of her. Like she said, it is what it is.

"And when you know you don't want to live for even one day without that one person, then you should marry them." Delphine ended her explanation turning her attention back to the little girl on her lap.

"You mean I should marry someone I like as much as chocolate pudding?"

"No chérie. If you really love someone you would be willing to give them your pudding without tasting it yourself. Because this other person and their happiness will be far more important to you than chocolate pudding." Delphine explained with a smile and watched with amazement how the girl seemed to process what she just heard.

After a few minutes Kira just nodded resolutely, like she finally came clean with the topic before she looked at Delphine again.

"Do you love Aunt Cosima?"

That was an unexpected one and Delphine needed a few seconds to compose herself before she mustered her brightest smile.

"Of course, pappilion. I love her very much."

"More than the Eiffel Tower?"

Delphine wanted to correct the young girl, saying she didn't love the Eiffel Tower. But then it occured to her that it may be the only thing Kira really knew about France. That the tower may be a symbol for her love to her own country. If so, then her answer was simple: Yes.

Sure, France was a beautiful country. Full of charm, wide landscape and cities full of history. The smell of France, its nature and spirit caught Delphine every time, whenever she visited her family at home. What she missed the most since she came to America. But what was the whole beauty of France when Cosima wasn't by her side to enjoy it? Which purpose did it have to enjoy the world's most beautiful places when your heart wasn't with you, because it belonged to someone else entirely?

"More than chocolate-pudding?"

She nudged the girl playfully on her nose. "I would never eat it again if she'd ask me too." Delphine answered conspiratorially as she leaned a little closer to the girl. Kira looked at her with wide eyes, obviously impressed by her answer.

"Wow, that's a lot."

Yes it was, and so much more than the girl could understand right now.

"Even more than science?"

That was a tough one. A very tough one.

Science helped Delphine through the hardest times of her life. Science brought her here, to this place at this time. Science was the reason she met Cosima. Science was the reason she got interested in the woman and what helped her see beyond this brilliant, cheeky smile. Science also created Cosima and she couldn't imagine her life without the woman now. Science helped her cure the love of her life from an otherwise deadly illness. Science was what her lover loved the most.

The most beautiful woman on earth loved her because scientific processes made her do so. Science was what occupied her mind whenever Cosima wasn't around. Science provided her with answers when she needed them. Science would help her save her lover again, in case something else would fail her biology again.

But the answer itself was easy.

She told Kira that you love someone when you can't live without them. Sure she loved science, but if it'd failed her in saving Cosima, she would've never forgiven it. She loves science more because it helped her save Cosima but she could never love it more than Cosima. She could actually never love anything more than Cosima.

Her answer was obvious.

"Yes, even more than science." Answered Delphine with a smile on her lips. Just the pure thought of Cosima brought a smile to her lips. It was automatic and nothing she had any control over. It was unbelievable how much that cheeky, scientific miracle had changed her. But at least she wasn't the only one. Often she could see that idiotic smile on Cosima too and it was one of the most adorable things she ever has the pleasure of witnessing.

"Then why aren't you married to Aunt Cosima?" This question left her speechless. What could she tell her when she didn't even know the answer herself? Everything she told Kira before, every reason why you should marry a person she could apply for Cosima, but still it got deeper. How could she explain that she had hurt Cosima on such a deep level once? That she never forgave herself entirely and the fact that she didn't know if Cosima ever did, would or could didn't make things easier. Of course her lover assured her thousands of times that she was completely forgiven but it was Delphine's insecurities that prevented her from fully believing in them.

"I'm afraid I can't answer you that Kira, I'm sorry." Delphine said and apologetically stroked Kiras cheek.

That she didn't get an explanation didn't seem to bother the small girl like Delphine expected. Instead, she looked at her with those big brown eyes that were wise beyond her years, fixed her gaze and Delphine had the feeling that she was under some kind of lie detector.

"But if she'd ask you, would you say yes?"

Merde, where does that come from? How could this little girl always make her insecure to the bone? "That's, well, I don't…" Delphine stammered and took nervous glances to the kitchen entrance. Cosima was in the next room and hopefully she didn't overhear their conversation. But Delphine wanted to be honest with the kid, so she got closer to Kira's ear and whispered. "There's nothing I'd love more."

The answer seemed to be what the little girl wanted to hear as it brought a huge smile on her face.

"Thank you, Delphine." And with that the girl jumped from her lap and got back to the kitchen.

'Well, that was interesting.'

Interesting indeed but Delphine would understand the little girl's curiosity much later that night.

When they brought Kira to bed Delphine got a glimpse of the little girl as she smiled at Cosima before they left her alone. It was the kind of grin they shared whenever they had a secret. Most of the time Delphine caught that smile when the two of them broke something during their playing but swore each other to secrecy.

It was a habit of Delphine to search their apartment a little closer then. See if anything was missing or not in the place where it was supposed to be. It wasn't like she got angry when the monkey duo, as they referred to themselves, turned their apartment upside down. Delphine loved to see them both so active and full of life. It was healthy for them and a nice change for the past months. The immunologist couldn't be angry at them. But their fear of getting yelled at made them both excellent at hiding things. Sometimes Delphine swore it was a part of their game.

Hiding things like Delphine's laptop which got in the line of fire during a hide and seek experiment. Because that's what they did. Experiments. Not playing, like most people. They did experiments. Which just meant that they played old games with completely new rules. Hide and seek extreme, for example. Her broken laptop was a victim of science and Delphine should understand that, as a scientist herself, sometimes there was no other way than to make sacrifices. It was actually a great honor for her laptop, which was mostly used for science projects anyway, to die such an honorable death. Cosima declared so convincing that Delphine wondered how long she prepared herself for that speech or if she maybe already used it before.

"Why are you looking around so much? Do you miss something?" Cosima asked, hugging her from behind and kissing the blonds bare shoulder with a tender longing, building up inside her the whole day.

They were finally alone. Not that they minded Kiras presence but it broke their routine of being together the whole time at home.

Delphine leaned back a little, stroking Cosimas arms around her stomach.

"Not that I know of. Should I miss something?" She asked suspicious.

"Well, would it be too cheesy if I said that you should miss me because we haven't seen each other for almost the whole day?" Cosima asked grinning, tigthening her grip on Delphine and pressing her whole body into the immunologist.

"Non, it would be the truth. But you know that I miss you whenever you're not with me, mon amour." Delphine answered before she turned her head to capture Cosimas lips in a long awaited kiss which was happily returned.

It always seemed too long since the last one. As soon as they parted they felt something was missing. Like they'd left a huge part of themselves behind. The constant longing for each other wasn't new to them and not even scary anymore. It just made them do whatever made them part faster and more efficiently than they would normally do. No reason to complain.

It was Cosima who broke the connection first, much to Delphine's dismay. "Wow, this gets so much harder than I thought." Cosima mumbled before she loosened her grip on her girlfriend completly and turned around, leaving a confused Delphine behind. With light iritation she watched her lover go to the bookshelf across the room and taking some books out just to put them back into their previous place instantly.

She searched for something, that much Delphine could decipher when Cosima almost ran through their apartment turning everything around and Delphine would lie if she said that her lovers suddenly rising panic didn't unnerve her slightly. Normally there wasn't much that could part them. Not when they hadn't seen each other for a whole day.

When Delphine came home from the lab Cosima was already in the kitchen cooking or more like heating something in the oven. They kind of became domestic and seasoned over the years they were together and she liked it.

Soon Cosima would have her Ph.D. herself and could work wherever she wanted. If she decided to accept the offer from the institute Delphine worked for, which Cosima declared instantly a soon as she got it, they would come home together and even work together. They could be together all the time and it didn't seem to scare either one of them. In fact they even looked forward to that time.

"It has to be here." The brunette mumbled "Shit. I can't have lost it. Not again!"

"Cosima, are you sure you're okay on yourself? I could help you with your search for whatever you search, chérie."

"No that's not necessary." Cosima appeased immediatly. "It would be weird too. So no worries. I'm fine."

She was far from fine. She got hectic. It had to be here. It was still there in the morning. It was there when she was in the kitchen. It was there when she heated the lasagna and showed it to Kira and now it was gone. Shit. She really lost it.

'Great Niehaus. One thing. You had one job to do and now it's gone.' Defeated, Cosima laid her head on the shelf in front of her. Taking a deep breath to calm herself. 'And she's noticing it. She sees you! You totally make a fool out of yourself!'

Cosima shouldn't be so surprised. She always got like this when Delphine was around. Like her brain shut down as soon as Delphine came into her breathing space. Maybe she shouldn't have put it out of her pocket at all. No, that wouldn't be possible, Delphine would've noticed it instantly. It wasn't like she could've hid it. It was hard enough to hide since she bought it. Which was the reason she searched for it two times already. That had to be some kind of record or a proof of her stupidity since she just collected it yesterday to avoid exactly this scenario. It seemed she was the scientific proof that intelligence and stupidy could indeed go hand in hand.

This couldn't wait another night, she couldn't wait another night. Also everything was already prepared. She had to do it now.

"Cosima, you are starting to worry me. Are you sure you're alright?" At her lovers light paniced tone Cosima straightened her back instantly.

'Great now you freaked her out. Not what you had in mind for this. You wanted to ease her into the idea.'

"I'm fine. Everything is fine. No worries." Cosima replied, not taking her eyes from the objects in front of her, still searching for the slightest hint. She was forced to stop when two arms slung themselves around her torso and hindered her from moving to the next shelf like she planned.

"You know the last time you told me not to worry I had to get you out of the hospital because you had a smoke intoxication. It's not really calming when you say that." Delphine said and kissed her girlfriend on the neck which moaned lightly at the sudden contact. The small kiss relieving the tension almost completely from her whole body.

"But you know what's the difference between then and now?" Cosima asked, finally giving up her search and turning around to her lover who greeted her back with another light kiss.

"You can see me during the speech and don't have to worry about me setting the kitchen on fire, with my burning love for you." The brunette said smilling brightly over her whole face. "I'm pretty safe, babe."

"You're so cheesy."

"And you love it." She replied grinning.

"I do." Delphine admitted before she captured Cosimas lips again. "I really do."

"Whoa you have to stop doing that or I won't be able to follow my plan tonight." The brunette stopped her again and Delphine's confusion grew when Cosima tugged her hand and brought her into the kitchen.

The sight that greeted Delphine wasn't what she expected at all and she had a hard time to comprehend how much the room had changed after she just left it only a few hours ago.

The small table in the middle of the room was decorated with a red candle and a simple rose in a vase. The rose was placed in a flower bucket in form of a DNA double-helix. A bottle of wine, as well as two glasses were there too. Underneath it all laid a red table cloth which served perfectly to complete the picture.

The rest of the room was decorated with a lot of candles, red and white, small flowers and pictures of Cosima and Delphine together on their vacations or whenever Cosima felt the need to memorize a moment forever. Even the plushies they won on the fair were there, placed beside the picture frame they belonged to.

Normally the plushies were placed in their bedroom or stored away in boxes in the basement. But Cosima has brought them all here, into the kitchen. The small panda Delphine won on a shooting gallery, on their first date after Cosima's successful treatment. The white tiger Cosima won the next time they went to another fair. For the amount of money they spent at that stall they also could've bought it. But it was also Cosima's ambitions to beat a young man beside her, also trying to win the tiger for his girlfriend. That night Cosima declared her love for her the first time, convinced the power of her love made her win the none existing contest with the young man. The tiger was special to both of them and was normally placed on top of the bookshelf in their bedroom. Now it also had a small red wig around its neck and the heart plushie, the cheesiest of all plushies, embedded in its claws.

"Cosima what..." Delphine was speechless which served Cosimas purpose.

"Well, I was planning this in my head all day—hell, all week. Now I don't know what to say." Cosima rambled when she turned to Delphine and enjoyed the sight of her confusion. At least one thing worked the way she planned it.

Delphine's brows were turned upwards and her eyes were wide open. Determent not to miss one single thing in the room like it was some kind of science project. How much Cosima loved that sight.

"Delphine." She began and her lover turned her full attention back to the brunette, like she was the only thing that mattered right now. Which hopefully she was. "Delphine, you know I love you." as always this admition made Delphine smile brightly. "You're my reason to get up in the morning, to put so much work into my Ph.D. so I can work with you on the high-level-shit facility. I don't want you to have the need to hide me, because your girlfriend can't compare to your well-educated colleagues. I know I was passionate about it before but you gave me a completely new purpose to do it. You deserve the best and I want to be that for you." When she saw that Delphine wanted to interrupt her she immediately waved wildly with her hands. "No, please let me finish or otherwise I'll never get this out." Delphine nodded and Cosima took another deep breath before she continued.

"You saved my life. You saved the lives of my sisters, probably that little monkey in there too, and you never wanted anything in return. You were just happy that you were stuck with me for a much longer time and every time I wake up beside you I thank god or whoever is listening that I had the courage in me to kiss you that night in my apartment, where you dumped me; which was devastating by the way." They both smiled at the bittersweet memory which started it all. "I'm thankful that you agreed to monitor me. That in the end you couldn't resist my charm for much longer because it was pure torture to even think I lost your friendship. I've never found someone like you before. There was never someone who got me the way you do. Who understands me on such a deep level that it's crazy. And even if I know all that, it's never really scary because I know I'm safe with you and I can't imagine my life without you anymore. The pure thought of you coming to your senses, realizing that I'm just a clone and that you deserve so much better than me. That you will finally leave me someday is scaring me to no end."

Now it was Delphine's turn to make her girlfriend speechless as she put a small kiss on her mouth, not going further like Cosima asked her to. It was a simple gesture just something small to calm her down a little and give her some confidence back. They could stay like that forever, just staring at each other, seeing the world in each other's eyes. But Cosima had a plan to fulfill and she didn't know how long she could keep the tears out of her voice or prevent them from running all over her face.

She wanted this to be perfect. Delphine deserved this to be perfect and she wouldn't mess this up. So she took Delphine's hands in hers and silently asked herself if the trembling she felt came from Delphine or herself. "And I promise you that I will try every day, for the rest of my life, to be someone you deserve and you're not ashamed to show off. And with all that said there's just one thing that would make me even more happy than to scream to the world that I have the best, most beautiful, sexiest and intelligent girlfriend a woman could ask for and that would be if you, Dr. Delphine Cormier would do me the honor of becoming my wife and upgrade your name to Dr. Delphine-Cormier-Niehaus. Even if I can't find the ring I swear I already bought you but I promise you'll get as soon as the jewelry store opens again." Cosima finished and just waited for a reaction from her girlfriend who seemed too shocked to react at all.

It wasn't like Delphine hadn't thought that it would come during Cosima's little praise speech of her but to actually hear the proposal, to see Cosima with this look of pure admiration combined with insecurity and fear, to feel her shaking hands on her own made it impossible for Delphine to say what she would love to scream out loud but couldn't right now.

Unfortunately Cosimas incertain mind took her sudden silence as a bad sign. So she immediately tried to save the situation.

"You don't have to answer right away. It's totally cool if you need time. I won't go anywhere as I said before. And when you someday feel the urge to answer then I'm here. Always. But if you want to say no then I may hide or at least totally can spare myself the answer. So I'm fine to get no answer either. If you don't feel like it or think it's too soon or maybe have another lover somewhere or want to be a nun, even if I highly doubt that, or if you just want to stand there staring at me forever then—" Her rambling was finally ended by Delphine as she pressed her soft lips on hers. Even if she couldn't find it in herself to speak right now she wouldn't let Cosima suffer any longer or think she said the wrong thing or increase her insecurities when there was no need for it. So she tried to lay everything in that one kiss. Her own happiness, her love, her heart and her soul as it belonged to Cosima anyway.

This was everything. This was Delphine. This was Cosima. This was their love. This was everything neither one of them dared to hope for but found. This was what they saw in each other's eyes. This was all that mattered, in the past, now and forever.

As long as they had each other they would be okay. And Delphine could feel Cosima relaxing, understanding what this kiss was about and gratefully taking everything Delphine was willing to give and if it wasn't for the need of oxygen they may have never parted again. They were still looking into each other's eyes, grinning idiotically at each other and cherishing what they saw. Both woman having one hand on the others cheek. Rubbing the tears away and enjoying the simple contact.

"So about that question earlier."

"Yes?"

She could hear the grin in Delphine's voice and Cosima hated herself for her predictability when it came to the French woman.

"Well I was just curious if you want to answer, you know. No pressure or anything. Just scientific curiosity."

"I thought it wouldn't matter and you have time." Delphine teased her.

"Yeah, well it doesn't. And when you're going to say no,then I really don't need to hear it. But just in case you don't want to say no, then I wanted to remind you that I'm here to listen."

"You silly American. How can one person be so brilliant and stupid at the same time?"

Cosima turned her head a little to the left side. "I don't know if I should be insulted right now or not."

She shouldn't because there wasn't anything Delphine could ever say about her lover that wasn't a compliment or a praise of her existence. She would never say that out loud though. Even the level of hokeyness a French dared to speak out loud had its limits. Instead she just took Cosima's left hand in her own and kissed the place where soon a ring would be placed. "Of course I'll marry you, soon to be Dr. Cosima Niehaus-Cormier." Delphine said and Cosima could hear the tears in her voice before she could actually see them and allowed her own to fall finally.

"You do?" Cosima asked for clarification but Delphine could see on the wide grin that she just wanted to hear it again and again so she did.

"Oui, mon amour, there's nothing I'd love more." she admitted, seeing the grin on her fiances face getting wider each second.

"Really? You're willing to be stuck with me for, hopefully forever?"

"Forever and not one second less mon trésor."

And in that moment Cosima was the one who threw herself at Delphine, clinging to her for dear life and crying like she hadn't ever before. If this was what forever felt like, being held by the love of your life, surrounded with all the love she felt for you, hearing her whisper into your ear how much she loves you, how happy she was, that you were everything she ever hoped for and so much more, feel her kiss your neck, especially the point where she knows you can't resist her, feel that you're safe from the worlds cruelty as long as you stay in her arms, than forever was something she sure was up for it.

This time it was Delphine who decided to capture this whole setting on film so she could still memorize it when she was old and grey with Cosima by her side, looking at those pictures. So she stopped Cosima from blowing out the candles so they could get to bed without risking to burn their apartment down. There was enough heat in the house already as they barely parted long enough to accomplish any task properly. But Delphine wanted those pictures. Maybe someday show it to their kids. Remember it if there was ever a need to.

"You know, it's strange." Delphine said after taking the last picture, Cosima kissing the heart plushie.

"What? A proposal without a ring?" Cosima asked and Delphine could see that it was something really bothering her girlfriend, no fiancée. She couldn't help the impulse that turned her lips into that idiotic grin only Cosima ever saw.

"Kira also asked me today if I'd marry you."

"Really?" There was something in her tone; something Delphine couldn't decipher right away a mischievous grin already on her lips.

"Well, I may have asked her to check the water for me." Cosima confessed but the French woman could see that there was no remorse, not really.

"You didn't!"

"I did. I had to make sure you weren't completely against the idea so I wouldn't make a total fool out of myself." That was something Delphine didn't expect, not after her conversation with Kira.

"Then why were you so insecure about it? You already knew my answer then." Now Cosima seemed surprised.

"You told her you would say yes?"

"Of course I did."

"That little devil. She told me you said that you weren't sure. That you hadn't thought about it and you would know if the question really came." Cosima said, slightly disapointed Kira decided not to tell her the truth.

"Well, that sounds different then what I said."

"But it wouldn't be fair if you knew the answer already, Aunt Cosima. Nobody knows the answer to that before the question comes." Kira's voice came from around the corner, making them both jump apart a little and staring at the young girl. Immediately Cosima went to her, kneeling in front of her.

"You little bad monkey. You knew she would say yes and let me suffer the whole night. Not cool to have such huge secretes from your monkey twin Kira. Not cool!" Cosima scolded her but the girl seemed unimpressed.

"But the surprise would be ruined, Aunt Cosima. I'm sure you were more excited to hear it from Delphine then from me." No argument there. The girl was right. Even if Cosima would've had more confidence in herself had she known it, she couldn't deny that there was something about not knowing. About Delphine not answering right away. It showed her more and more how much she wanted her to say yes. How devastated she would have been if she said no. How much she loved Delphine.

"Thank you, monkey." Cosima said and kissed the girl on the forehead. "You're just like the wise old Rafiki."

Kira shrugged her shoulders. "Well, some of us are Rafikis and some are Abus." Kira replied grinning and Cosima was a little surprised for her sudden cockiness.

"Aladdin's thievish ape, really? Come on Kira, at least you get to be from the Lion King. You're a cool ape."

"But you're exactly like him." Cosima was sure she heard Delphine unsuccesfully supressing snort. "He never could behave himself, got himself in trouble and waved with his hands all the time. He never could find the things he hid either." Now Delphine completley stopped her supressing efforts and only pressed her hand over her mouth to quieten her giggles. Without much succes. She would hold this over Cosimas head forever

"What do you..."

"I have the ring." The girl said and took the small object out of her pocket. The light golden shimmer from the ring itself as well as the sparkle from the small diamonds in form of an eight, a double helix and the symbol for forever, captured Cosimas gaze right away. The small object resembled so many things to her and was especially made after Cosima's demands, perfect to be placed on Delphine's hand for eternity because it also resembled her.

Her passion for science, as the DNA strand, Cosima's love for her as she was sure would last forever and the eight, which resembled the eight seconds Cosima needed to fall completely head over heels for the hot French woman in her lab that day. It was perfect.

"Whoa, Kira, you had it? Why?" she asked confused, observing how the girl let the object fall into her the brunettes open hand.

"You told me to take it before you would lose it again. Don't you remember? It was before dinner."

Kira was right. Shit. She gave Kira the ring because Delphine was on her way into the kitchen for dinner. She panicked that suddenly some of the stuffed animals would fall out of the closet and ruin everything and Kira was there. She gave her the ring and totally forgot to take it back.

"Well thank you, monkey." Cosima said, kissing the girl on top of her head. "Will you go back to your bed so I can complete this properly?" The girl didn't say anything and just nodded and return to her room, leaving Delphine and Cosima alone again.

"Well, that was awkward." Delphine heard Cosima mumble to herself.

"No, it wasn't." She declared and embraced Cosima from behind. "It was cute and really, really you." Cosima snorted.

"At least you know now what you impose yourself with."

"Oh believe me, I knew that already." She kissed her lightly on her temple. "And I love-" another kiss was placed on her jaw "every" beside her lips "little bit of it." Delphine said, finally getting to her main goal when she turned Cosima around and kissed her lips. Trying to let Cosima feel everything she awoke in her. Taking every insecurity away and showing her how perfect all of this actually was.

Cosima wasn't a straight person, in any way. She was quiet, dispersed, sweet, caring, thoughtful and so loveable that Delphine barley could contain herself whenever she was near her.

"Believe me, this is exactly what I want. With you." Delphine whispered.

"So you're up for crazy science for forever too?"

"Absolutely." Delphine said and now there was no reason for Cosima to hold back any longer. She accomplished everything she wanted to do tonight but before Delphine could distract her much more there was something she needed to know first.

"Is the Niehaus-Cormier thing really important to you? Because I'm far too un-French for that."

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**A/N: Hope you liked it and feel free to leave a review. :)**


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